The true disciplinarian, a course of practical religion and training for the eternal world

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THE

True Disciplinarian

Preface

THE Son of man is come to save that which was lost." Matt, xviii. ii. Therefore the point to arrive at, or the good to be accomplished, to my fellowmen, is their souls' salvation, as the reading of manybooks is too much labor for the majority of men ; and more so, when we consider the shortness of the memory, and the natural inclination to read about and seek after those things which tend to their external wants. I have therefore tried to explain in a few words (in the way that God hath given me understanding,) the great mysteries of our repentance, conversion and discipline through our life in this world, and our final deliverance from this body, namely, our eternal salvation through Christ Jesus our Lord j — (iii)

IV PREFACE.

leaving altogether out of sight church government, sectarianism, vain disputings, and

man's differing in opinions.

The Author.

MISCELLANEOUS CONTENTS.

PAGE.

What is God ? 7

What God is 9

Devil's Work in Man 1 1

First Sin . , 14

Man Dead , . 17

Picture of Man 19

Free Agency 22

Unwillingness to Punish 23

God's Own Record 25

All in Its Proper Place 27

Satan's Mixed Lie 28

Obstinacy of Man 29

Time of Man's Repentance 30

Different kind of • • • 31

Author of. ^^

Salvable , 35

Baptism of Fire and Holy Ghost 41

Eating and Drinking Damnation 42

Revivals Necessary 44

Nature's Mourning 46

David's Expression > . . , 47

Satan's Propositions 48

Man's Inability 50

Deliverance 5 j

New Heaven 52

What Eternal Life is 53

y

VI MISCELLANEOUS CONTENTS.

PAGE.

Warnings 54

Christ's Mission 55

Christian's Warfare 59

Satan's Work in Church .,,..., 60

Man's Righteousness 61

Grace for Others' Profit 62

Destruction of the Wicked 64

Invisibility of God's People 66

Corrupt Nature Lying Dormant 68

Fiery Serpent 70

The Two Judgments ' 72

Worldly Mystery 75

Words Spoken 76

Transfiguration 77

Vision , 80

Penalties 81

From whence Faith ? 83

Brethren's Trials 87

Things We Can Do 89

Difterence of Godly 90

Foolish Things of God 93

Conscience not to be Trusted 97

Religion Makes Man Good 98

Christ's Power to be Used 99

Christian Perfection 100

Strictly Personal loi

Full Enjoyment of God 105

Indescribable Felicity > . 107

Death so Terrible 108

Insufferable Punishment 1 10

Special Obligation ' 112

Newness of God's Instructions 113

Prayers , , 1 14

Thanksgiving 123

Perfect Obedience 125

Observance of Strict Order 126

THE

TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN.

PRELIMINARY.

HOW shall a man believe in him whom he doth not know, and how shall a man know, if he is not taught? A certain king asked his counselor, What is God? The counselor asked for time till the morrow; on the morrow he appeared and wished three days' more time. *^ How is this? " saith the King. The answer was, *^The more I think about it, the less I know about it.'* But it is not so with us, unto whom God hath revealed by the Holy Ghost, through Jesus Christ coming into the flesh, and since then unto those who love and serve him by the same spirit ; (7)

but the world knoweth him not, because it sees him not.

Acts xvii. 23. *^ To the unknown God, Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you" — God that made the world and all things, seeing he is Lord of heaven and earth, and dwelleth not in temples made with hands, as though he needeth any thing, seeing he giveth life and breath and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men, for to dwell upon the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed and bounds of their habitation, that they should seek the Lord, if liaply they might feel after him and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

Scripture defines God to be a spirit, the Father, Creator and Governor of all things \ he is the primary cause, the first cause, the self-existing cause, the only cause, the eternal cause, the great and all-governing cause, of heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that in them is, without beginning and without end, God is a word and is power.

John i. i: '*In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God ; the same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the life of man." Isa. xliii. lo-ii ; '^Believe me, and understand that I am he ; before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord, and besides me there is no " Saviour. ' ' No man hath at any time seen God with mortal eyes, save in Jesus Christ when in the flesh ; he hath declared he was the only God ever formed. ^^He that seeth me, seeth the Father." '^ I am alpha and omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." He did show unto man the almighty word, dJCid power was in him, by doing the wonderful miracles in the sight of man, declaring lO THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN.

unto Jews and Gentiles that the Father was in him, and he in the Father, and that he had power over sin, death and hell, which man hath not, except so far as he has received power from Christ to overcome sin. As many as believed gave he the power to become the children of God.

Now I have tried to explain what is God, and who is God : this then is the first, and the great, and the all -ruling power, and it is good, and there is no evil in it. There is none good but God ; he is the great King of kings, and the Lord of lords, and hath all rule and government under him ; then if such is the case, there must of necessity be ruling servants under him, to carry out his command and enforce obedience, and punish evil doers.

WHO IS THE DEVIL?

The question is to be answered. There is a secondary power, which had its begin-

THE TRUE DISCIPLINARIAN. II

ning with pride and ambition, striving for the supremacy in heaven. Lucifer, an angel of high standing, was the originator of evil ; he caused a war among the angels in heaven, and disobedience of the same, but he and his whole host were cast out. He hath become an enemy unto God and all his works ; he is now the opposite power ; though secondary only, yet hath he a great power, having principalities and rulers under him, (namely, the angels that were cast out with him,) to bring about all manner of evil and destruction upon man, the creature of God, infusing into man to disobey his Creator, causing divisions among themselves, wars and fighting continually. His name is the Evil Spirit, the Devil, Satan, and the Old Serpent, that brought sin, suffering and destruction upon our first parents in the garden of Eden. Let us now consider some of his doings and acts among men. Job i. and ii, we can see the operation of this evil spirit, how he infused or inspired in the minds of the Sabeans to slay Job's servants with the sword, and to take away the oxen and asses as booty, and then caused fire to fall upon the sheep and consume them. Not yet satisfied, he entered into the minds of the Chaldeans, to slay Job's servants with the sword, and carry the camels away ; then caused a great storm to rise in the wilderness, and brought it upon the house where Job's sons and daughters were feasting, tore it to pieces and killed them all ; and after destroying all that Job had, he was not satisfied, but asked leave to attack his body, and smote him with sore boils, from the crown of his head to the soles of his feet, but his life he had no privilege to touch. (Solomon saith there are two things that never say enough, death and the grave.) Now let us follow him down to Egypt, and see his mighty power exerted over Pharaoh, King of Egypt. As soon as the king acknowledged the supreme power of God and promised to consent to

God's request, he placed his foot upon Satan, and shut off the destroyer, and healed the damage; but so soon as Pharaoh was healed and at ease, the king was inspired by the devil again to act deceitfully, hence another opportunity for destruction was at hand, over the king's affairs; and such were Satan's works carried on through the Ten Plagues of Egypt. Not satisfied with all this, he followed up and destroyed Pharao'h's whole host in the Red Sea. Doth he stop here? No ! Follow him on through the whole line • of God's people, while traveling in the wilderness. When Moses was withdrawn from the congregation to the top of Mount Sinai, for the purpose of receiving instructions concerning the government of God's people, Satan came in among the people, and infused into their minds to make themselves a golden calf, and fall down before it, and say, ^^ These be the gods that brought us out of the land of Egypt," so as to dishonor God, who was really their deliverer. Here we can plainly see his first sin, pride and ambition^ not willing that God's supremacy should be acknowledged, but acting in opposition all along as time rolled on, causing insurrection, disputing, and disobedience, usurping all power in his might to get the people to do evil, until he had the whole host of God's people destroyed in the wilderness, save two, Caleb and Joshua, being in number over six hundred thousand, beside women and children. Again, when Herod the king was in power, and the King of kings and Saviour of the world was born, he was ready to carry on his fiendish work through Herod, and induced him to slay many innocent children, but failed to accomplish his end. But the greatest work he ever undertook was to tempt Christ — God himself in the flesh — asking him to fall down and worship him. Herein he failed (by his misconception of the work of God to bring about man's salvation.) Satan followed Christ in his opposition until he had accomplished his work (as he thought) by nailing Christ to the cross ; but through and by that operation Satan lost all his power over death, and destruction of all those who serve God through Christ. Yes, Satan lost his power over that death of our first parents which he gained through their disobedience to God's command, for ^' in the day wherein ye eat of it, ye shall surely die.'* Now we can safely say, there is no more fear of death for all those who walk according to the doctrine of Christ. Since that time we see his work of opposition in the world, in the children of disobedience j how he taketh advantage of every opportunity that can be thought of, to produce havoc and destruction among the children of men, by raising up hurricanes, destructive storms, heavy-rainfalls, hail, thunder and lightning, fire and floods or water, to tear up trees, throw down buildings, and destroy man, beast and vegetation from off the face of the earth ; not satisfied with all this, but infusing into God's people to quarrel and fight and sin.

I have nov/ tried or attempted to explain some of Satan's mighty works, that we may have a little understanding and knowledge of his doings among the children of men; by his fruits ye shall know him.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY.

And now, what shall we do ? Will we sit down in fear, consternation and horror, and behold all this work going on, and allow this secondary power, even Satan, to cause such havoc and destruction in our land and nation, destroying man and beast, women and children, and the souls of men, when the remedy is at hand, yea in our power to prevent, if we but asked the power of him who doth offer it unto us simply by asking him for it ? I say again, what will we do ? — have we no mind, no understanding, no knowledge at all ? No ? Will we not consider, will we not give a matter of so vast importance any bought at all ? Is it possible that man is dead, deaf, dumb, and blind? can he not be aroused from this great carelessness ? can he not be brought to halt and think again ? Is it possible? is it possible? But every one goeth after his own business, the farmer to his farm, the carpenter to the house he is building, the blacksmith to fire and anvil, the laborer to his labor, the merchant to his merchandise, the professional man to his office j rulers and governors sit in their chairs considering the responsibilities pertaining to their offices ; — all considering how they may live so as to gather money and riches, and yet appear before man honorable and of high standing, forgetting God as the last thing to be noticed ; and when Satan bringeth forth his mighty destructions and devastation by raising up black clouds, flashing of fire, heavy peals of thunder and mighty storms, blackness and darkness come rolling on unexpectedly ; then, and only then, will men rise up from off their seats and occupations, wherein they were so busily engaged, with fear and trembling facing the horrible destruction coming upon them, their bodies cast down in death, for to appear before whom they shall give an account of their doings and of their discipline and training for the eternal world, in this their time allotted unto them, for the glorification of their Creator and the Preserver of all things.

But now no thought has been taken about God and eternal things, hence they are not prepared for the work now before them. V/hat shall we say ? Had no time ? Did not know what God required? Did you not see it with your eyes, hear it with your ears, and understand it with your heart, what God required of you? Is it possible that this is a true picture for God and man to behold ? No wonder did David say, " Oh ! that mine eyes were fountains of water, and my cheeks were valleys, that I might weep, that the tears might flow down my cheeks like rivers of water. ' ' Now if this is the true state and condition of God, man, and Satan, why and ivherefore is it so? We say, these things must needs be so ; if there is to be a governor or ruler, there must needs be a commandment, or we would be all alike ; and if command is given by a supreme ruler unto his subjects, there must be a penalty attached to prevent the violation of the same ; then must there be of necessity one to carry out or inflict the punishment attached. If this were not the case, man would have no will of his own ; he would be no free agent. We read that even the angels in heaven are not slaves bound unto God, but have the power of volition, to obey or not to obey; and man is placed on equality with angels in this respect. Yet say you, man has fallen from his original state : so have the angels. Lucifer, a great prince in heaven, with one- third part of the angels at that time, have fallen, and we read they are bound in eternal chains of darkness, unto the day of final settlement of all things, when they shall receive their reward with those men who embrace not the opportunity to be saved in the time given unto them ; but those fallen angels are not on salvable ground, like man is, for whom provision was made. Now, we say man is more highly favored with God than even the angels are in this respect, because he answered a two-fold purpose for God's work. Man is of great service to God in this world. What would this world be if there was no man in it? Consider how it would appear. To what purpose would the earth be? what pleasure would there be to its Creator, with all the glories and powers in it, if there was no man upon the face of it, just as he is made, with hands to labor, feet to walk, eyes to see, ears to hear, and a mind to understand — yea, a great mind, to consider all things that are and all that therein is? And on the other necessary to be done in this glorious earth hand man hath an eternal spirit, to glorify God in the eternal world to come, after this earthly work is ended.

REDEMPTION.

Who has ever made anything to his own pleasure and satisfaction, that does not love it, would not remedy its defects, and set it aright, for his own satisfaction and pleasure ? So God hath created man in his own image and likeness, with the power of volition to will for himself, that he should be no slave or servant, but a son, who should be co-equal with himself in the great business and enjoyment throughout the eternal world. Now if we could but understand the near kin and relationship we hold toward God, and the love he bears toward us as his creatures by this sacred tie ; we are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh, which he hath proved unto

22 THE TRUE DISCIPLIXARIAN.

US by coming into the flesh and doing for us that which we were not able to do in the state and condition we had placed ourselves, because we did give way and sinned against his command, and fell under the power of Satan (by our own actions), who held us in captivity and bondage, until he came himself into the flesh, and fulfilled that law which his justice would not otherwise but demand. To keep his original justice, and abide in the truth, he therefore came down in his mighty power, fulfilled that law to the letter without sin, and then died the death in our stead, namely the death of a sinner : for he called out '' ^ly God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" So he paid our penalty, that divine justice may abide and he can have mercy upon us, namely the forgiveness of our sin. Justice and truth is not injured if we claim him for our righteousness.

It matters not how merciful and unwilling to mete out a punishment : when there is a decree that altereth not, or that cannot be broken without the loss of his own steadfastness and of justice and truth, it must be positively enforced, however unwilling. For example, there was a certain king who passed a decree, that for a certain offence the ofender's eyes were to be put out ; and the one that committed the offence, was the king's own son. What was to be done ? The king had to make a sacrifice, or fall from his own steadfastness, and become a trifler. He therefore proposed that one of his eyes should be put out and one of his son's, so that he might show his subjects the unalterableness of the king's law and command. Again, how was it with Darius, the king in Daniel's time? If there could have been a remedy found to rescue Daniel, it would have been surely done; for the king worked hard until the going down of the sun — yes, all day — to find out how he might rescue Daniel from being cast into the lions' den. There is no doubt the king shed many tears ; but there was no help, the decree altered not.

In such a condition and position man placed God by his own action. What is to be done ? It matters not how unwilling God is in Christ Jesus ; he cannot save man in any other way than that which is laid down. He calleth upon all men everywhere, saying, *' Turn ye, oh ! why will you die.'' It is not His will that any should perish, but that all should consent, and escape the punishment which might follow. Thus, we say, it is such a decree that altereth not. God saith himself, what more can I do, that I have not done? — having himself suffered our penalty upon the cross — and calleth us to render up our will and come and be saved, the only way in which he can save us.

John i. 29 to 35 : ^' The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith. Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world ; this is he of whom I said.

after me cometh a Man which is preferred before me ; for he was before me. And I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending for heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not ; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me. Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." Again, Luke iv. i6 to i8: ^'And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up ; and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto him the Book of the Prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the Book, he found the place where it was written. The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor ; he hath sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised."

Mark i. 15 : ^^ And saying. The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand ; repent ye, and believe the gospel.''

Matt. iv. 17 : ^^From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Acts xvii. 29 to 31 : ^'For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the God-head is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth he all men everywhere to repent; because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained ; wherein he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead/'

In concluding the preliminary part, we we must say all is right, and just, and good, and necessary so to be. God alone is wise, and He alone hath understanding of His great and mighty works. We must say, God is in his proper place, angels are in their proper place, man is in his proper place, Christ is in his proper place, Satan is in his proper place, and the salvation of man through Christ is in its proper place. If we consider all the circumstances, we must say yea and amen ; so it was from the beginning, so be it in the end j and this alone grieves me, that I have so sinned against the Lord my God.

REPENTANCE

T^ EPENTANCE implies that a certain measure -*-^ of divine wisdom is communicated to the sinner, and he thereby becomes wise unto salvation; it means sorrow for sins which are past, a remembrance or after-thought of a misspent life, producing an uneasiness of the mind, upon a consideration of what is done. There is still remaining in the human mind a part of God's light of original righteousness; man hath died the death of the power to do that which is right, yet there is a spark of light left remaining, so that man knoweth when he doeth wrong ; and this proves itself to be a fact, for the child one or more years old knoweth when it does wrong before father or mother tell him of it ; experience teaches this, and Satan said, You shall not surely die, but shall be wise as gods, knowing (28)

good from evil. The Saviour, speaking of man's final apostasy, says, And if that light that in thee be darkness, how great will that darkness be ! Thus we travel on with this knowledge in us, until a special effort is made by the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, so that we are compelled to hear his voice, riveting mighty convictions on us of our sins ; so much so that there is no rest in us, neither by day nor by night, on account of our sins; but we are not willing to surrender, and wish to get rid of this trouble, not by repentance, but by seeking worldly jollity, often the wine-cup, and such company as is not under such influence, to work this trouble off. Oh ; what obstinacy is in man ! But the voice of God is, when you hear his voice harden not your heart. Such, then, is a special call to repentance ; and if you harden your heart, and fight against the Spirit of God, you may never have another chance to repent ; because man cannot repent when he pleases, but when God gives him the power to repent only; for he saith, ^' How long, ye simple ones, will you love simplicity, ye scorners delight in your scornings, and fools hate knowledge ? Turn ye at my reproof. Behold, I will pour out my spirit upon you, and will make known my words unto you, now, because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and you did not regard, and took none of mine reproof, and set at naught my counsel, I also will laugh at your calamity, and will mock when your fear cometh." As far as my experience goes, man, or some men, will have three or four special calls to repentance during their lifetime ; therefore greatly fear lest God's spirit will take its flight, and then there will be no more saving repentance left for thee.

How many have gone distracted, and committed suicide, to get out of trouble ! But there are various kinds of repentance mentioned in Scripture, and we can see the fruits of it. We read of the beast in the Revelation that had a deadly wound and was made whole, and all that were not of God worshiped the beast ; and of that great city that became a cage for every foul beast and unclean bird. First, natural repentance, or that which is merely from a natural conscience. Second, a national repentance, such as the Jews in Babylon were called up to, to which temporal blessings were promised ; Ezekiel — '* Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his way, saith the Lord. Repent and turn yourselves from all your transgression whereby you have transgressed, and make a new heart, and a new spirit; for why will you die, O house of Israel ? for I have no pleasure of him that dieth, saith the Lord God ; wherefore turn yourselves and live." Third, an external repentance, or outward humiliation for sin, as in the case of Ahab ; he went into his house and laid on his bed, turned his face to the wall and would not eat bread, because he could not have things as he desired. Fourth, a hypocritical repentance, as represented in Ephraim — ^ ^Though I have bound and strengthened their arms, yet they imagine mischief against me. They return, but not unto the most high ; they are like a deceitful bow. Their princes shall fall by the sword, for the rage of their tongue ; this shall be their derision in the land of Egypt.

Fifth, a legal repentance, which is a main work of the law, and the effects of conviction of sin by it, w^hich in time will wear off and come to nothing. Sixth, an evangelical repentance, which consists in conviction of sin, confession of it, hatred to it, and renunciation of it. A legal repentance and an evangelical can be distinguished thus : First, a legal repentance is from a sense of danger and a fear of wrath ; an evangelical is a true mourning for sin, and an earnest desire to be delivered from sin. Second, a legal repentance flows from the fear of punishment threatened, and in unbelief; an evangelical is always the fruit and consequence of a saving faith. Third, a legal repentance flows from aversion, hatred or dislike to God and his holy law ; but an evangelical from love to both. Fourth, a legal repentance flows from discouragement and despondency ; but an evangelical from an encouraging hope. Fifth, a legal repentance is temporary ; but an evangelical is a daily exercise of the true Christian. Sixth, a legal repentance doth at most produce a partial external reformation ; but an evangelical is a total change of our heart and life. The author of repentance is God, the subject the sinner. None but those who have sinned can repent. Though many have, no doubt, repeatedly felt smart pain in their conscience, and endeavored to quiet it with a few such aspirations as these — Lord have mercy upon me ; Lord forgive me, and lay not this sin to my charge, for Christ's sake;